New Lotus Evora Sport 410 is lighter, more powerful, and faster

Lotus Cars always has something up its sleeve. This time, they decided to improve the already spectacular Evora, putting in more power and lessening the weight, to come up with an even more sensational Lotus Evora Sport 410. This comes even as car enthusiasts are still reeling from the recently announced new models Elise Cup 250 and the Exige Sport 350.

Engineers at the famous Lotus Lightweight Laboratory must have had put enormously effort in successfully pulling off an seemingly impossible feat – taking off a massive 70kg from the Evora model to come up with the new Lotus Evora Sport 410.

In the lighter car, high performance carbon fibre components had to be standard. When combined with the 410 HP supercharged engine with the track-bred 3-Eleven, the Lotus Evora Sport 410 eats up the road faster than its predecessor, a mere 3.9 seconds to reach 0-60 mph and an amazing 186 mph top speed.

Group Lotus PLC CEO Jean-Marc Gales admits that they couldn’t just help it, they just wanted to make the Evora better: lighter, faster and sharper. In essence, they took the core quality of what Evora really is and focused on developing those aspects.

This did not come as a surprise to industry observers as Lotus has always been known for its continuous improvements. For the new Evora to come into being, its predecessor had to be thoroughly re-evaluated, analyzed, optimized, reengineered and its every component assessed. This resulted to a simplified carbon fibre tailgate which combined five elements into one, new lighter-weight door trim panes and the introduction of carbon fibre throughout the entire car.

Fortunately, the Sport 410 improved on the previous enhancements done when the Evora 400 was made, which comes with a leap of improvements from the first generation Evora. People might expect that the significant weight reduction of the Sport 410 has to have a setback in terms of usability. However, in the case of the new Lotus Evora Sport 410, the new car still retains the qualities necessary for everyday use. But then, it came with undeniable gains in performance of course.

For example, the 70 kg weight reduction coupled with the power boost of the engine resulted in the car being able to lap the Lotus’ Hethel test track in 1 minute and 28 seconds which is 3 seconds faster than the Evora 400. It is a classic of the Lotus principle of “adding lightness” and a reflection of the company’s expertise.

In addition, Lotus has always been known for its philosophy of continuous improvement. In the case of the new Lotus Evora Sport 410, the car has a lower centre of gravity while is kerb weight is slashed to just 1,325 kg which translates to an impressive 309 hp/tonne power to weight ratio.

The car’s lower weight has likewise granted it a sharper and agile handling – with greater accuracy and feel. Jean-Marc added that the Evora already had the best chassis, which means that the Evora Sport 410 built from there and took it to another level.

Augmenting the drastically reduced weight is a more powerful version of the supercharged, 3.5 litre 6-cylinder engine which had the distinction of beating Nurburgring records. Developed by the Lotus 3-Eleven project, the engine is capable of generating 410 hp at 7,000 rpm with an impressive 410 Nm torque at the lower 3,500 rpm.

But perhaps the biggest impact on the whole design improvement is the incorporation of the high-performance carbon fibre components into the design of the new Lotus Evora Sport 410.The tailgate, rear diffuser, front access panel, front splitter, roof panel and even the race-derived sports seats are all made of this high performance carbon fibre.

Carbon rear quarter-light panels combined with the one-piece carbon tailgate produced a fastback-style trailing roofline with is sleeker and pays homage to some of Lotus’ most famous heritage models. In additional to its aesthetic appeal, the new changes have improved the car’s aerodynamic downforce by 15% without affecting its drag. A recalibrated suspension was allowed because of the low weight and meant the new Evora Sport 410 is 5 mm lower than the previous Evora 400.

These changes resulted to better roll control and sharper handling without compromising ride quality and comfort. The new car comes with a super lightweight 10-spoke forged aluminium wheels and optional Michelin Cup 2 tyres.

The Evora Sport 410 has a manual gearbox with low inertia flywheel, Torsen-type limited slip differential (LSD) which meant faster exit speeds upon cornering and better traction as well. For those who prefer it, an automatic transmission is available as an option. Lotus’ Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) is available in the new Lotus Evora Sport 410. Its setting can be accessed via a dashboard switch for either ‘Sport’ or ‘Race’ modes.

Carbon fibre sports seats with Alcatara trimmings along with steering wheel and center console are standard to the new Lotus Evora Sport 410. In addition, an entertainment system with touch screen controls might be specified and comes with Bluetooth and iPod connectivity. A personalized Evora Sport 410 is possible with the recently launched Lotus Exclusive programme. The Lotus company plans to produce a total of 150 Lotus Evora Sports 410 cars per year and will be available starting June 2016.

Press Release

Lotus Evora Sport 410

In a move that should surprise no one, Lotus has raised the bar once again by lightening the Evora in order to develop the sensational Lotus Evora Sport 410.

Following on from the recently announced Elise Cup 250, and the Exige Sport 350, Lotus' famous Lightweight Laboratory has been hard at work cutting the weight of the Evora 400 by a massive 70kg. With a host of high-performance carbon fibre components as standard, and sharing the 410 hp supercharged engine with the track-bred 3-Eleven, the Lotus Evora Sport 410 clocks 0-60 in 3.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 186mph.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc, commented, "We couldn't help ourselves, and many may have guessed what we were planning following our recent announcements. We wanted to make the Evora even better: lighter, faster and sharper, but our team has exceeded our expectations. Lotus has distilled what makes the Evora so special into something that's even more focused. The result is dynamically excellent and nothing short of superb."

This new, top-of-the-range Evora has been thoroughly re-evaluated, with every component assessed, optimised and reengineered as required. This covers every aspect of the car, including a drastically simplified carbon fibre tailgate (combining five separate elements into one), new lighter-weight door trim panels and the liberal addition of carbon fibre across the entire car.

The Sport 410 builds on the excellent work undertaken in the development of the Evora 400, itself a massive enhancement over the first generation of Evora. However, far from a stripped-out special, the Lotus Evora Sport 410 retains excellent road manners, being refined and composed during everyday driving.

The significant drop in mass, and a power boost, means the Lotus Evora Sport 410 is capable of lapping the company's Hethel test track in 1 minute 28 seconds - an impressive 3 seconds faster than the Evora 400. Reflecting what Lotus does best, it demonstrates the company's principle of 'adding lightness'.

The Lotus Evora Sport 410 is the result of Lotus' philosophy of continuous improvement. With a lower centre of gravity, and a kerb weight slashed to just 1,325 kg, the car provides an impressive 309 hp/tonne.

In addition to boosting straight-line speed, the significant reduction in mass has allowed sharper, more agile and intuitive handling - with even greater accuracy and feel. Jean-Marc Gales added, "The Evora chassis was already the best in the business - the Evora Sport 410 takes it to a whole new leveel".

Complementing this is a higher-output version of the supercharged, 3.5-litre 6-cylinder engine, developed through the Lotus 3-Eleven project which has beaten Nürburgring records. As a result, the car boasts 410 hp at 7000 rpm and 410 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm.

The high-performance, carbon fibre components have played the single biggest role in the evolution of the Lotus Evora Sport 410. These include front splitter, roof panel, tailgate, and rear diffuser as well as race-derived sports seats and a revised front access panel. The one-piece carbon tailgate incorporates a louvered section, inspired by some of Lotus' most-famous heritage models, and together with carbon rear quarter-light panels help provide the car with a sleeker, fastback-style trailing roofline. These changes have also improved the car's aerodynamic downforce by 15% with no increase in drag.

The car's reduced kerb weight has allowed the recalibration of the suspension, with improved geometry and completely revised damping, as well as a ride height 5mm lower than the Evora 400. As a result, handling is sharper, along with better body and roll control, yet ride comfort and composure is retained. Ultra light-weight, 10-spoke forged aluminium wheels, and optional Michelin Cup 2 tyres, complete the car's dynamic revisions.

As standard, the Lotus Evora Sport 410 comes with carbon fibre sports seats trimmed with Alcantara®, along with the steering wheel and centre console. An integrated touch-screen entertainment system can also be specified, including iPod® connectivity and Bluetooth® functionality.

The rest of the Sport 410's cabin has received attention as part of its development. Weight saving measures includes attractive one-piece door trim panels finished in Alcantara®, with contrast stitching, the deletion of door arm rests and stowage pockets, the relocation of tailgate and fuel filler release buttons and the removal of speakers - if an entertainment system is not specified.

As well as the standard paint selection, the new Evora can also be personalised through the recently launched Lotus Exclusive programme. Combining traditional British craftsmanship with modern design, the service inspires customers to spend time tailoring the character of their Lotus with a comprehensive array of options.

The Lotus Evora Sport 410 will be limited to a global production run of one-hundred and fifty vehicles per year and will be available in all major markets from June 2016.